1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a receiver and more particularly to a receiver that searches for a signal bearing desired content, while receiving selected content from a different signal.
2. Related Art
A receiver may include a tuner for selecting a specific frequency, channel, or program desired by an operator. An operator may tune a television or radio receiver to select a television program or radio station. The tuner receives the incoming signals and converts them to perceptible forms.
In some cases, however, desired programming is not always available. Mobile receivers are particularly susceptible to inconsistent availability of transmitted signals due to interference, fading, or other adverse conditions. A mobile television or telephone, for example, may experience a varying level of signal availability from a signal source.
FIG. 1 shows a transmitting station 102, a transmission region 104, and a vehicle 106 traveling along a path 108. The station 102 transmits programming of sufficient strength for the vehicle 106 to receive the programming from within the transmission region 104. The transmission region 104 may not have a smooth oval or circular shape as illustrated in FIG. 1 due to differences in geographical terrain, transmitter characteristics, environmental characteristics, and so on. Rather, the transition region 104 may vary in size and shape over time, further weakening the availability and integrity of a transmitted program.
In FIG. 1, the vehicle 106 cannot receive a desired program. As a result, the driver may be forced to select a different program transmitted from a different source, even though the driver may not want to listen to or watch another program. The iterative tuning and returning process may be unpleasant for the driver. Even when the driver successfully finds a desired program at an acceptable quality level, the driver may miss significant portions of the program due to the time and effort the driver must spend tuning that program. Additionally, each time a driver retunes a receiver, the driver may be distracted from traffic and road conditions which may create a safety hazard.
Therefore a need exists for a receiver that addresses the potential problems described above and others previously experienced.